Methodological approaches to assess disordered eating behaviors related to gluten-free diet management in children and adolescents with celiac disease: a scoping review

The gluten-free diet remains the only effective treatment for celiac disease, which requires the lifelong exclusion of all foods containing gluten. After diagnosis, eating practices become predominantly guided by safety concerns, reshaping the individual’s relationship with food. In this context, eating attitudes and behaviors provide a useful framework for understanding how adherence to the gluten-free diet is experienced in daily life, encompassing beliefs, emotions, and everyday eating practices influenced by clinical, social, and cultural factors. However, the literature is marked by considerable methodological heterogeneity, with most instruments adapted from adult populations or other clinical conditions. As a result, disease-specific experiences, such as fear of cross-contamination, autonomy, and social participation, may be insufficiently captured, highlighting the need for greater conceptual clarity and stronger methodological foundations in this field.